NEW YORK,NY-A Indian-American hotelier has partnered with a company of President Donald Trump’s sons to launch a new midscale hotel chain under the name “American IDEA” in the US. Trump Hotels, part of Trump-founded Trump Organisation and helmed by the president’s sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, announced the tie-up with Mississippi-based company Chawla Hotels, led by Dinesh Chawla.

The partnership includes three American IDEA properties in the Mississippi Delta area as well as the upscale ‘SCION’ hotel brand. The properties will come up in Cleveland, Clarksdale and Greenville in Mississippi.Chawla, CEO of Chawla Hotels, said that under the tie-up, his company will develop the SCION and the three American Idea hotels in the Mississippi area. He will put in an investment of $ 20 million in addition to borrowing money for more financing. Chawla expects the properties to be ready in six to seven months. Describing the Trump team as “very polished people and sophisticated operators”, Chawla said among the reasons that he wants to partner with them is that “they have developed hotels at such a high level”.He said he has stayed at Trump hotels before and “we want to bring some of that polish to our developments too”.Chawla, who was born in Punjab, recalled that his late father V K Chawla had first interacted with Trump about 30 years ago as an immigrant who had come to the US from India by way of Canada. He was struggling financially and looking for help to finance his first hotel. Chawla said Trump had “in a quick stroke” advised his father about how he should go about getting a loan. The senior Chawla, who passed away two years ago, built 17 hotels in the region.He said he may not agree or “see eye to eye” with Trump on political issues but he is very proud of the professional tie-up with the Trump organisation that will help bring about 100 jobs and boost the economy in the Mississippi area.“I don’t see eye to eye with my employees either. Everybody is entitled to their own views on politics or religion. But at work, it is about rolling up your sleeves and getting things done and I feel very comfortable working” with the Trump organisation. “They are very professional, very courteous”.Chawla said his brother Suresh Chawla, the president of Chawla Hotels, had met Trump as well as his son Don Jr when the then presidential candidate had visited Mississippi on the campaign trail. Chawla said he got a call from the Trump team in March this year regarding the hotel project. Chawla underscored that his company is partnering with Trump’s sons and “we don’t have any contact” with the President. “I don’t think that is allowed”, he said.“We are very proud of our association” with the Trump organisation as business partners.“It is not really about the politics or celebrity. It is really about the competence of their business organisation, their marketing ability,” Chawla said, adding the partnership with Trump hotels “gives us a platform internationally”.The hotel project, which would create over 100 jobs, would also help Chawla and his company give back to the community in Mississippi, he said, adding that people in his town are “very excited” about the project.“It is giving people a sense of enthusiasm and optimism that they would not have otherwise had. In economic uncertain times, that is a big deal,” he said. “We are trying to help people in our area. We are going to be creating well over 100 jobs through the hotel project and give a social enterprise platform,” Chawla said.The jobs are going to circulate money in the local economy and “that’s a positive thing. We feel privileged to be able to do that for the people who helped us,” Chawla said.Chawla noted that his father “would be proud” of the path the Chawla Hotels has taken, saying that theirs is an immigrant story that took 40 years of hard work and sacrifice. “We did everything, we swept floors, cleaned toilets, made beds. We worked hard,” Chawla added. Trump Hotels said American IDEA hotels will be an alternative for both guests and hotel developers looking for an answer to the run-of-the-mill offerings currently in the midscale space.The SCION brand is a four-star, lifestyle brand.The SCION property, owned by Chawla Pointe, will be a multi-faceted hospitality campus which will include approximately 100 rooms, suites and extended stay accommodations; a 6,000 square foot spa and fitness center; a 5,000 square foot event hall; two acres of outdoor festival space and multiple entertainment outlets including two full- service restaurants. Trump Hotels CEO Eric Danziger said in a statement that the company is “so fortunate” to partner with Dinesh and Suresh Chawla, “two dynamic and highly accomplished hoteliers who work with a variety of brands. Their family has managed each one of their hotels for over 30 years but they have chosen us to manage SCION at West End. We are honored, and we look forward to a very successful relationship”.